1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to media playback over a wireless channel, and more specifically to transportable, wireless media playback systems adapted for use with user-provided portable media (e.g., MP3) players, smartphones and other personal electronics devices when used to store or access a user's media or music files.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Music listeners have been accumulating collections of music in digital form for playback over portable media (e.g., MP3) players, smartphones, tablets, personal computers and other personal electronics devices and many have chosen to listen to their music over audio playback systems configured to “dock” with those personal electronics devices. For example, the applicant's I-Sonic® music playback system (U.S. Pat. No. 7,817,812) is a popular choice for music listeners who want high-fidelity playback in a transportable, compact product.
Other users prefer to avoid having to physically connect or “dock” their personal electronics devices, and so wireless (e.g., Bluetooth™) powered speakers often combine integrated Bluetooth technology with battery power, as shown and described in U.S. Patent Application Publication US2012/0300962 (Devoto). Devoto's Bluetooth Speaker permits a listener to send music wirelessly to the stereo speaker via an iPhone™ smartphone or an MP3 player and remotely send commands between the connected personal electronics device and the speaker.
In either case users are limited in their ability to enjoy their combined music collections in group settings because switching between these collections requires switching between streaming source devices (phone, MPS player or other) and the only processes for doing so are slow, clumsy and/or disruptive to the event.
Wireless audio via Bluetooth™, for instance, is awkward to set up, however, since the user's personal electronics device and the Bluetooth™ speaker must be first “paired” and then “connected” in order to allow playback to begin, and once a user begins listening, there is not an easy way to allow another music listener to participate without “pairing” and then connecting the second user's personal electronics device. Even if the second user's personal electronics device is successfully “paired” with the Bluetooth™ speaker, the standardized Bluetooth™ system's protocols do not permit the first and second users to cooperate in creating a shared or blended audio playback experience, because the most recent user to “pair” and connect with the Bluetooth™ speaker abruptly cuts off the prior user and replaces them permanently, or until that prior user turns the tables and again connects to “play” another song with the Bluetooth™ speaker, having abruptly cut off the second user.
Wireless data transmissions using protocols such as the Bluetooth™ protocols are typically controlled by organizations which publish and enforce compliance with specifications. Such wireless transmission system specifications typically describe a wireless system designed to serve a wide range of users exchanging all kinds of information between wireless devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, laptops, computers, printers and digital cameras via a short-range radio frequency (“RF”) communications channel, and transceiver compatibility among various manufacturers products is required, so the specifications tend to be rigidly followed, which means that users have limited options for sharing media over a wirelessly connected media playback component such as a wireless loudspeaker.
There is a need, therefore, for a convenient, user-friendly, flexible and unobtrusive system and method for music listeners and other users of portable media (e.g., MP3) players, smartphones and other personal electronics devices to use network together and cooperatively share a wirelessly connected media playback component such as a wireless loudspeaker and manage multi-user wireless media playback over the loudspeaker.